High-speed rail may be put on fast track

High-speed rail in Florida could make a comeback under Barack Obama's administration, as his economic stimulus plan - which emphasizes transportation and eco-friendly projects - coincides neatly with the goals of two prominent Central Florida lawmakers.

While details of the president-elect's plan remain uncertain, U.S. Reps. Corrine Brown, D-Jacksonville, and John Mica, R-Winter Park, have renewed calls in recent weeks for a rail line that tentatively would run from Tampa to Orlando and Miami.

And even if that plan doesn't work out, the two said they have other Florida transportation projects in mind, including a 61-mile commuter rail system running between Volusia and Osceola counties and through downtown Orlando.

"We are ready to go. I'm excited that we have an administration that wants to rebuild America," said Brown, who is almost certain to keep her post in the next Congress as head of the House subcommittee that oversees railroads.

Mica used his position as top Republican on the transportation committee to champion a new law, signed by President Bush in October, that requires the federal government to seek proposals from private companies outlining how they would build, finance and maintain 11 high-speed rail corridors nationwide, including Florida.

Interest in these rail projects is almost certain to carry over to the next administration because they have the potential to create jobs, said Rob Healy, a lobbyist for the American Public Transportation Association, a transit advocacy group based in Washington.

On Nov. 22, Obama outlined a two-year stimulus plan that aims to generate 2.5 million jobs by 2011 through new spending on projects that, he said, can help "free us from our dependence on foreign oil."

These projects include everything from highways to wind farms.

It's unclear whether Obama would pursue a high-speed rail system as part of his economic recovery plan.

His team remains tight-lipped about details as they develop a strategy to convince Congress to spend hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars to try to reverse a toxic economic climate.

High-speed rail has had a checkered history in Florida. In 2000, Florida voters directed the state to pursue the idea, but that mandate was repealed four years later with the help of then-Gov. Jeb Bush, who opposed spending money on the project.

At the time, building a leg between Orlando and Tampa was estimated to cost at least $2.3 billion.

State analysts in 2004 said it would cost $25 billion over 30 years to build, operate and maintain the system.

Mark K. Matthews can be reached at mmatthews@orlandosentinel.com or 202-824-8222.